Drive and guide sprocket for track laying vehicle



June 11, 1963 R. L. GAMAUNT 3,093,006

DRIVE AND GUIDE SPROCKET FOR TRACK LAYING VEHICLE Original Filed Aug.25, 1958 Era. 2.

INVEN TOR. POGER L. GA MA UA/7 ATTORNEY 3,093,086 DRIVE AND GUIDESPROCKET FOR TRACK LAYENG VEHHZLE Roger L. Gamaunt, PA). Box 55,Fawnskin, Calif. Original application Aug. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 757,074,new Patent No. 3,017,942, dated Jan. 23, 1962. Divided and thisapplication Apr. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 106,255

3 Claims. ((11. 74-243) This invention relates to a track laying vehicleand, more particularly, to a track laying vehicle incorporating as partof the track laying mechanism thereof unique sprockets adapted to driveand guide the tracks of the vehicle under adverse conditions, such assnow and muddy terrain.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No.757,074, filed August 25, 1958, now Patent No. 3,017,942, entitled TrackLaying Vehicle.

One of the greatest problem encountered in conventional track layingvehicles is the fact that the drive sprockets thereof, being ofconventional construction, frequently become clogged with mud, dirtand/r snow. When so clogged there is a tendency for the sprockets tothrow the track of the track laying vehicle and the vehicle is, thus,rendered inoperative.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a track layingsystem for a track laying vehicle and, more particularly, drive andalignment sprocket means therefor which is adapted to be self-clearingand which is not susceptible to become clogged with dirt, mud or snow.

Another object of my invention is the Provision of a sprocketconstruction for a track laying vehicle which consists of a plurality ofconcentrically mounted rings the open nature of which prevents theaccumulation or compaction of ice, mud, snow, and/or other material inthe sprocket and, thus, eliminates the possibility of immobilization ofthe vehicle because of the accumulation of such materials therein.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing which is for thepurpose of illustration only and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a track laying combat vehicleconstructed in accordance with the teachings of my invention andincluding, particularly, sprockets constructed in accordance with theteachings thereof;

FIG. 2 is. an enlarged, fragmentary, plan view of' a portion of one ofthe tracks of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the sprocket ofthe invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the sprocket of myinvention.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 13 thereof, I show atrack laying combat vehicle constructed in accordance with the teachingsof my invention. While the teachings of my invention are illustrated asincorporated in a combat vehicle, it is, of course, to be understoodthat the principles thereof may be applied with equal cogency to varioustypes of track laying vehicles and it is not intended that theprinciples of the invention be limited in their application to thespecific type of vehicle described herein and shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

The vehicle 10 includes an elongated body 12 which is formed, by weldingor other conventional expedients, from sheet steel.

The vehicle 10 is supported upon and moved by a pair of tracks 26constituted by a plurality of interconnected cleats 28 whoseconstruction Will be described in greater detail below. The tracks 26are supported on track sus- Patented June 11, 1963 pension and alignmentsystems on each side of the body 12 of the vehicle 10 and eachsuspension system, 1nd1- cated generally at 30, includes a plurality oftrailing suspension arms 32 which are mounted at their forwardextremities upon laterally extending studs, not shown,

whose inner extremities are supported on longitudinal frame members 35within the body 12 of the vehicle 10, as best shown in FIG. 4 of thedrawing.

'The forward extremities of the trailing suspension arms 32 includemounting bosses 36 which are pivotally secured to studs, not shown,fastened to the longitudinal frame members 35. The rearward extremity ofeach of the trailing suspension arms 32 is biased downwardly toward thelower run of the associated track 26 by a compression spring 42 whoseupper extremity is received in a seat 44 mounted on the side of the body12 of the vehicle 10.

While I have disclosed the compression or shock absorbing means of thesuspension system 30 as including a spring 42, other types of shockabsorbing means such as hydraulic cylinders and the like may besubstituted therefor without materially altering the manner in which thesuspension system 30 of my invention operates.

It will be noted, however, that the spring forces exerted by the springs42 upon the trailing arms 32 are, as best shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawing, applied in a straight, vertical line to the rearward extremityof each of the trailing arms 32. Therefore, as the suspension arm 32 ismoved up and down when the track 26 encounters various obstacles in itspath, the compression of the spring 42 does not cause lateraldisplacement of the suspension arm 32 and thus maintains the portion ofthe track 26 being deflected upwardly or downwardly in correspondingalignment with the remainder of the track.

Each of the trailing suspension arms 32 includes, as best shown in FIG.1 of the drawing, a bogie supporting arm 52 mounted thereuponintermediate its forward and rearward extremities. Each bogie supportingarm 52 includes a centrally located mounting portion 54. The forward andrearward extremities of the bogie mounting arms 52 mount bogie wheelassemblies 66.

The tracks 26 of the vehicle 10 each include a plu rality of cleats 28,each of the cleats being provided with a plurality of rubber pads 76.The cleats 28 are maintained in pivotal relationship with each other bylengths of steel cable 102 fastened in clips 104 secured to the cleats28 and thus providing a continuous track 26 for the support andpropulsion of the vehicle 10 and engagement by the bogie wheelassemblies 66.

Mounted in operative relationship with the vehicle 10 and constituting apart of the track suspension system 30 are guide sprockets and drivingsprockets 112 which are of identical configuration with the exceptionthat the driving sprockets 112 are operatively secured upon a driveshaft 114, as best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. Since the guide anddriving sprockets 110 and 112, respectively, are of identicalconfiguration, only the driving sprockets 112 will be described herein.

The outermost extremity of the drive shaft 114 is, as best shown in FIG.3 of the drawing, provided with an enlarged mounting portion 116 andincorporates a plurality of threaded studs 118 for the reception ofcorrespondingly sized and shaped openings in a hub or mounting plate120. The hub plate 120 is maintained in operative engagement with thedrive shaft 114 by means of nuts 122 and incorporates a plurality ofenlarged transverse openings 124.

Welded to the opposite surfaces of the hub plate 120 is a plurality ofcantilever supporting members 126 constituted by substantially V-shapedrods 128 whose diagonal, inwardly disposed extremities are welded to theassociated surface of the hub plate 120. The cantilever and that theV-shaped configuration of the supports 126 as constituted by theV-shaped rods 128 provides a substantially open structure, for a purposewhich will be described in greater detail below.

The rings 130 are disposed in contiguity to each other and constitutethe innermost of the plurality of Unlike the rings 132, they do notengage a corresponding surface on the track 26, but are supported bysecurement to the outer extremities of the upper legs of the cantileversupport are in juxtaposition to each other. Welded or otherwise securedbetween the legs 130 are sprocket dogs or teeth 140 which, as best shownin FIGS. 3 and 4 of. the drawing, are adapted to engage radiallyinwardly projecting lugs 142 provided upon the individual cleats 28 ofthe track 26 to drive the track 26 about the suspension system 30.

It will be noted that the construction of the sprocket Wheel 112 is aremarkably open construction by virtue of the fact that the primaryelements thereof are consti- V tuted by the rings 130 and 132 and thatthe cantilever supports 126 are also of open configuration orconstruction to provide transverse passages therebetween. Therefore,when the sprocket 112 is submerged in mud or snow or other substancewhich would tend to become impacted on ordinary track drive means, acontinuous circu-' lation and propelling efiect is achieved by virtue ofthe fact that the cantilever supports 126 serve as agitators which serveto propel and distribute any material which.

may infiltrate into the sprocket 112. In this manner, the clogging ofdetritus, snow, mud, or other materials which normally tend to preventoperation of conventional track 4 and which are also characterized bythe fact that they tend to resist the compaction therein of suchdetritus such as rocks, tree limbs and the like. Thus, the possibilitythat compaction of the drive sprockets with such material may occur iseliminated and the consequent dislocation of the associated tracks fromthe sprockets obviated.

I claim: 1'

1. In a sprocket for a track laying vehicle, the combination of: aplurality of transversely spaced apart, coaxially arranged, and openrings; hub means located centrally of said rings; and ring mountingmeans including support arms, each of which has a transverse portionextending through and attached to said rings, and radially-s 2. In asprocket for a track laying vehicle, the combi nation of: a plurality ofcoaxially arranged, transversely spaced apart, and open rings adapted tosupport at their peripheries the track of. a track laying vehicle; hubmeans laying sprockets by becoming impacted therein and bei I,therefore, provide by my invention drive and sup-.

port sprockets which are characterized by their resistance to impactionsby mud and similar semi-fluid substances located centrally of saidrings; and a plurality of supports extending radially and laterally ofsaid hub means and connected to said rings, said supports beingelongated rod-like elements circumferentially spaced apart to pro-'5vide transverse passages therebetween, said hub means includingtransverse openings in communication with said passages whereby mud andthe like may pass transversely through the sprocket.

3. In a sprocket for a track laying vehicle, the combination of: aplurality of coaxially arranged, transversely spaced apart, and openrings adapted to support at their peripheries the track of a tracklaying vehicle; hub means located centrally of said rings; and aplurality of rod members for supporting said rings upon said hub means,each of said rod'members having a transverse portion extending throughand attached to said rings, and radially and laterally extending.diagonal portions integral with said transverse portion and secured toopposite sides of said hub means, said rod members beingcircumferentially spaced apart to provide transverse passagestherebetween, said hub means including transverse openings incommunication with said passages whereby mud and the like may passtransversely through the sprocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,853,308 Humphreys et a1 Apr. 12, 1932 2,271,172 Heaslet Jan. 27, 19422,967,075 Christie Jan. 3, 1961

1. IN A SPROCKET FOR A TRACK LAYING VEHICLE, THE COMBINATION OF: APLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED APART, COAXIALLY ARRANGED, AND OPENRINGS; HUB MEANS LOCATED CENTRALLY OF SAID RINGS; AND RING MOUNTINGMEANS INCLUDING SUPPORT ARMS, EACH OF WHICH HAS A TRANSVERSE PORTIONEXTENDING THROUGH AND ATTACHED TO SAID RINGS, AND RADIALLY AND LATERALLYEXTENDING DIAGONAL PORTIONS INTEGRAL WITH SAID TRANSVERSE PORTION ANDSECURED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID HUB MEANS, SAID SUPPORT ARMS BEINGCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED APART TO PROVIDE TRANSVERSE PASSAGESTHEREBETWEEN, SAID HUB MEANS INCLUDING TRANSVERSE OPENINGS INCOMMUNICATION WITH SAID PASSAGES WHEREBY MUD AND THE LIKE MAY PASSTRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE SPROCKET.